Breaking Ranks 3

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 The Invitation Has Been Sent Out

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”  Let each one who hears them say, “Come.”  Let the thirsty ones   Let them come and drink the water of life without charge.” Revelation 22:17

come- anyone who wants to.

Thirsty? Come! 

No matter who you are, no matter how long you have or have not been a Christian- God wants to change your life!   I believe he said, “Life and Life more abundantly.” 

I believe if life falls short of “abundantly”….

It’s time to break ranks. 

Just as people cannot break free from the bondage that holds them, people cannot break ranks unless they turn to Jesus, repent, let go and start letting God/Jesus teach you to live in the understanding/will of the Spirit of God.

Let this be a refreshing living word for us

Romans 12:2 says “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.”

I think we can get into this rut or believe some lie that holds us back and from breaking rank where we truly experience what God wants for us.   

To truly live as God intends us to live we must “let” be reliant on Him in all things.  I mean how much of the burden do you carry? Are you “yoked” with God or not?   

Our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ lived in this way of thinking… and because He did, He continually broke ranks with the ways of men.  Think about it.  He crossed lines that men set.  He went against the grain of society norms.  Men hated and resented Him and do to this day because of who He IS -not truly understanding He is God- not us.

 

He even breaks ranks in the people He chooses to represent Him expecting us to break ranks as well and live by His example- in only being captive in Spirit (Him/God), not to ways of men. 

When we start to believe we are contained by “something” other then God what happens? I can tell you it’s pretty lousy.

But what happens to our cup when we allow God to stir and fill it up?

 Psalm 23:5-6 says…

“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.   Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.”

 And Proverbs 21:1 says…

“The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he turns it wherever he pleases.”

 Think about it....

Why Do We Lack?

I was going to write about patron client privilege but then God whispered this to me as I was driving.

“God is my provider.”

“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” Psalm 54:4

We lack.   We hunger.  We thirst.  We fret.  We tire.  We doubt.  We fear.  We are unsettled. We are unsatisfied.  Because we don’t know or remember God is our provider, God is our help, God is the sustainer of our soul.

I know that is easy to say but to know... to know is all another matter entirely.    We all have these unsettling moments in our life but what stops the emotional earthquake?  What stops the walls from closing in?  What stops the landslide from overcoming?   What calms the storm on the rocky seas of life?  When do we suddenly stop walking in the deserts of this life and start walking in God's pastures of goodness?

Is God over our circumstances?  Another brother in Christ and I were talking about this… the conflicts, difficult circumstances, the let downs, betrayals, sideswipes, misunderstandings, the heaviness of life, the temptations, disappointments, loss, are all mended and ramified when we do what?

How does the dark shadows flee and the waters become clear?

The answer is when we turn to God.   He is the light that overcomes the darkness.   It’s in those trying times we become closer to God and dependent upon God.  Is this not true?

Right... we could simply give up but when we turn to God, He enriches us in those circumstances.

Without God we are a just like a bird with a broken wing, hopping around -trying to deal with the situation by our own means.

Do we really believe God’s goodness and unfailing love pursues us all the days of our life? Psalm 23:6

Jesus says “God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.” Matthew 5:3

Do we show and tell God our need or do we just suck it up, deal with it, suffer in it?

Is God, Jehovah Jireh of our life?

Spiritual famines in our life come when we assume some kind of control or everything is out of control but in reality God is in control and nothing is out of control if we allow him to have control. 

The walls may crumble and fall, the clouds may give no rain, but all things that are inconsistent are not God.   It's easy to say we walk by faith not by sight but often we rely on sight, sight that blinds us to the enrichment God wants to bless our soul with.  Things that often can not be described in words.

We must be careful.  Our perceptions and imaginations fail us.  We see two hundred things to be done, an ailment, a loss of a job, a child needing money for college tuition where we are so overwhelmed and frazzled- we forget to bring God onto the balancing scales of our life. 

We say how come the Israelites couldn't remember God leading them through the vast and dreadful wilderness, the thirsty and waterless land with its venomous snakes and scorpions and bringing a gushing stream of water from the hard rock?  Maybe they too got carry away in the cares of this life. 

Are we as forgetful?  It could be the very root of why we lack.   

Doesn't God say?

"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." Isaiah 43:19

 
Remember our words have power.  Just as we can speak goodness and life into our life and other people’s lives we can speak things into our life that God doesn’t wish, desire or want for us or others. 

God is our provider and sustainer.   He always has.   The reason we speak foolish things into our and other peoples lives is because we are either uneducated about what God wants for our life or have forgotten who GOD is to be in our life.   Are we to walk this life alone?  Of course not! What kind of encouragement would that be in Christ Jesus. 
 

God will supply what?

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

What about evil?

"If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling.  For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go.  They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.  You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.  When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.  I will rescue them and honor them.  I will satisfy them with long life and give them my salvation.” Psalm 91:9-16

By His stripes we are what?

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

He gives you what?

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

Think about Peter and the coin in the fish (Matthew 17:27).  The flowers in the field.  The birds of the air (Matthew 6:25-34). 

As you can see we are not just talking about material and physical needs here but what our soul needs.  Just this morning I woke to the words,

 "Your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". Matthew 6:10

Then as I pondered this God's Spirit gave me another verse.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

I wondered if the word "will" was the same type of "will" in both verses.  I found it was.

God's will is to be our sustainer.  He provides because He cares and loves us.

You know what I find interesting...  Him being our sustainer is us looking to Him.   It makes sense doesn't it?  I mean how can we seek God's hand of provision if we aren't looking to his hand. We lack because we do not look to Him.  We lack because we do not ask Him.

People often mess this up... people look to people, money and things to fulfill what they lack.  In other words we love people, money and things expecting to get a return on our investment and we stumble and hurt when this doesn't happen.   We even occasionally blame God for the failures and letdowns.  God says to love Him with all our heart, all our mind, all our strength and all soul and there we are assured our needs will be met.  We are assured His will be done for us and in us which we find is truly good, acceptable and perfect.  The world thinks this is crazy.  How can one have peace and sanity in hard times but what they don't realize... it's not the circumstances that sustain us but God.  And what is most awesome of all is His will carries on into eternity as we trust Him.
    

Is that not something to smile about?  If not, genuinely ask God to make this a reality in your heart today.

Who Is On The Throne of Your JOY?

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“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

Last week I took a “Narcissistic Personality Quiz.” http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/narcissistic.htm

The N.P.Q measures narcissistic mindsets and tendencies… in how one looks at authority, their own body, superiority, entitlement, manipulation, equality, self-sufficiency and vanity.

I did not score high enough to be a categorized as a narcissistic individual but I found the questions interesting and I remember when I had such “narcissistic tendencies” and once acted and thought upon them.

I then read 2013 article on new.discovery.com that reported that data has shown an increasing amount of Americans are becoming narcissists.     http://news.discovery.com/human/narcissism-epidemic-college-students.htm

This was not surprising considering how self-absorbed our society has become and in doing so has become a joyless society. 

We can point the finger at a lot of things… such as the baby boomers or our expectation and reliance on convenience.  But that's not it .... It's who's on the throne of our life.

What happens when life isn’t convenient? 
  

My youngest got a free ticket to a theme park as a reward so we went for the day and while we were patiently standing in line at the concession stand for a refill in our cup, a group of people walked up to the counter and demanded that they be served even though they could see everyone else was waiting in line.  And when the people at the concession stand wouldn’t serve them they got down right rude and disrespectful.  Where did they get that idea of entitlement over all those other people waiting in line?

Who was ruling on their throne? 

I guess you could say we saw a principle of God’s word come to life that day because the many who thought they would to be first ended up last and those considered last ended up the first.

Ever feel bad because you don’t get recognized for doing something?  Where does that come from? 

The N. P. Q is a simple man made test.  It does not adequately measure the accuracy of how God knows the thoughts and intents of the heart.  I may not be narcissistic in the world’s eyes but that doesn’t mean “I” or “me” doesn’t wants to crawl up on the throne and paint and color the circumstances of my day.   
  

We as Christians must remember we are children of our Heavenly Father.   God allows us to crawl up on the throne of our hearts to experience that we are not the source of our own joy.  Some learn this and some don't.   And He also allows us to sit on his lap to KNOW HE is the source of our JOY.  

Ever seen the LORD smile? When He smiles there is nothing like it and it fills you with so much goodness that there is no room for the negative symptoms you were experiencing. 
   

We must surrender the throne of our life to Him.  We also must be patient and wait upon the LORD and He will establish our hearts where they need to be set.  He is the good medicine for our heart.
 

“For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.” Ecc 5:20

Relentless 1

The “Way” was the name for the Christians before they were called  “Christians”.  They were called the “Way” because they followed Jesus Christ who is the “Way”.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Peter, John, Paul, Philip, Thomas, Luke and so on… lived in the “Way” which empowered them to think outside the confines of the fleshly understanding.  Their reality, birthed by the Holy Spirit, expounded into the reality of God.  They lived in the world but knew they were no longer of the world system of understanding.  So when they found themselves in physical restraints and circumstances they endured and accomplished many great and mighty things in God/ Jesus Christ.   

Has the name Christian, however good, somehow caused us to forget the “Way”?  Has it become like the word “Faith”, used but absent of relationship with God and guidance from God?

Some say action is faith but is it? We can do many “well-meaning” actions that are not spearheaded by God but of out of human traditions and understandings.  And I have seen the bed ridden have more faith in their eyes and heart then those using their mouths and hands.

The first church body had to deal with a great many entanglements including persecution from the world in which it lived but it was fueled and living by God’s RELENTLESS Spirit.

Jesus said,

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
  

The Way is living outside mirror maze of ourselves,our ideology of faith and of course the world.  It shatters those mirrors so we can see outside the box that has kept us captive and a stranger to reality of God.    

We are start to see each day, hour, minute are from God - and that we are to live and learn to live in the relentlessness Spirit of God.  He pulls down all the strongholds that try to exalt themselves over God. 

I am reminded of the words of Gamaliel as he strongly warned the Sanhedrin…

“I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go!  For if their purpose or activity is of human origin it will fail.  But if is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38-39

In a manner of speaking, we don't want to be fighting against God in our life- we want to live in the "Way" which God intends for us... That not men, circumstance, day, month, year or evil can stop us from living the relentless life He prepared for us, planned for us, paved for us and wants for us. 

Lord give us fresh eyes as we read these verses… eyes that no only see the words but what is being revealed behind the words, and allow what we see to be set alive by your Spirit in our soul- that it will do what it was intended to do in this time forward. 

MORE THEN I CAN BE

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MORE THEN I CAN BE

Rolf U. Lovland wrote: “You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; you raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; you raise me up… to more then I can be.”

WHO can raise us to more then I can be?  GOD of course but how often do we fail to grasp this?

WHO builds you up?   ARE they the temporary things in life or GOD?     

The wick of “this” life is only so long… and what footprint will last in a world that will one day come to nothing?  Can you build upon something that will become nothing?

“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.” ISAIAH 65:17

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.” REVELATION 21:1

God wants to raise us up to more then we thought possible… in HIM!

Ever felt anxiety, depressed, oppressed, worried, fearful, inadequate, spiritually hungry and thirsty?  

WHERE was your focus? Was it on the temporary?  What mental theme “music” was playing in your day?  Who’s shoulders did you place that enormous weight or burden?  

Was the day being “colored in” by what you understand, perceived, judged, and even felt?  Where was the emphasis on?  Why the bias?  What tainted and grayed your skies?

WHO is the BUILDER?

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Psalm 127:1-2

Ever ask, “Where is that enormous immoveable foundation that my life is suppose to be standing on?”  Nothing has changed- God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow so why do I feel the way I do?  You look at the structure that surrounds you.  You have stacked every bail of hay and nailed every board and put stucco on the outside.   You even thatched the roof.   You did this!  But…. but why isn’t there more of this sense of accomplishment and pride in your work?  Why isn’t this any encouragement to you? Shouldn’t this boost your esteem?   It is then when your eyes fall to the trim along the floor you remember.  The trim is made of the purest gold.  It was the finest work in the entire the house.  It wasn’t you doing the work there but GOD doing this work through you.  It was a relationship and partnership with GOD that did this…   You stand and look a bit at all you have built.  A glowing smile then emerges on your face as you utter these words, “Yes, indeed it is time for some changes.  GOD will you help me?” 

Then as if there was no time to waste a curious wind comes…. It carries away the thatched roof and then simultaneously all four walls are taken away as well.  The only two things that are left is the foundation that he stood you upon when you came to Christ and the fine golden trim. 

Jesus, the architect of heaven and earth then comes.  He smiles and says, “Come let’s continue to build something lasting together.”

Is it a fortress? Is it a villa?  Is it high tower?  You never know unless you build with him….  But the more important question that needs to be seated firmly in our soul and consciousness is, “Is our life ours or HIS?”  Do we labor in vain thinking it’s ours?”

Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.  If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.  1 Corinthians 3:12-15

God the Creator does not grow tired and weary but we do.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” ISAIAH 40:28

Jesus said,  “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

REST FOR OUR SOULS IN THE EVERLASTING

Nothing is more “stabilizing” to our soul then our relationship with our everlasting GOD, JESUS CHRIST.  For the “things” of this life are only temporary but GOD is CONSTANT and FOREVER!

Rest for our soul comes when we “switch” yokes or understandings -realizing in whom we truly belong.  We stop yielding to our own understandings and what the world wants to oppress and impress upon us to yield to God’s Holy Spirit who wants us to realize and come to the “satisfying” reality in HIM. 

Our limited understanding and the world’s corruption constantly yanks us this way and that way by whatever comes and goes but by submitting to God there is no tide of in and out just peace.    

Temptations are those tides in the sea of understanding.  They are not just lusts of the flesh but also things that tempt us to fear, have anxiety, doubt, and give into oppression and peer pressure.  They are things that want to take God’s rightful seat in our hearts, minds, and souls.

James 1:6 speaks of this “... Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”   

But I believe these things meant for evil also help us- they secure what was weak -building a stronger taller wall.  They dig a deeper divide.  They cause us to put less emphasis on the things of this life and more on GOD.  They give us a stronger deeper confident resolve in GOD.      

So knowing this, we strive to let go and let God, we strive to put our trust in God over our own understandings and what is happening around us in the great hope of becoming all that God wants us to become…

I don’t know about you but I can be hard on myself.  I don’t know if it is deserved or undeserved but I do know this one thing…. free from me is good for me. 

The Spirit of GOD allows us to be free from our worst critic, our most harsh observer, and overbearing judge- ourselves.  He allows us to see how great God’s grace is and allows us to be empowered by that grace realizing where life is meant to be lived.              

People are constantly looking for the way, the truth and a life to be satisfied, to be fulfilled, to be free, to be healed, to be content, to be more then just a stuffed suitcase with no where to go.  They are looking to be more then they can be.

JESUS says point blank:  “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” JOHN 14:6

JESUS was the one who created you and I.  So being made by HIM, how could we ever be satisfied without HIM?  How could we ever feel comforted and encouraged without HIM?  How could we ever feel secure without Him?  How could we be something more then we think of ourselves without Him?

I have asked this question (probably more then once), “What is the purpose of this life?”  And the answer I receive is, “To know God.”   I believe and know that without God we are just a bunch of souls wandering around in the dark and there is no point.  

BUT seeing that JESUS holds LIFE and IS LIFE itself really changes our perceptive on life.

LIFE was always supposed to be a RELATIONSHIP with GOD.   Life is a relationship with JESUS, the EVERLASTING God.

HOW DEAR TO YOU HOLD YOUR LIFE?

“But I do not consider my life in any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” ACTS 20:24

Sometimes we can hold our life with such a tight grip…  But if we realized whom really holds our life we might just find life more abundantly.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

The thief wants to convince us of what exactly?  Why doesn’t he want us to let go and let God?  Why doesn’t he want us pry our fingers loose from our life?  What does the thief, Satan, have to lose?  What greater confidence can we find in GOD if we do this? What ministry do we have to gain?    

Everyday it is a decision to let the SPIRIT have control or the FLESH.  It’s as if within ourselves we have a green meadow and before us a great horse.   The SPIRIT represents the great horse.  The SPIRIT is wild compared to our understanding but he was meant for us to ride.   It is our decision to either walk away or get on.  Hopefully everyday is a “ride” day for you.  But it seems that before we ride the wild stallion we sit and wait in the green lush grass.  The wild horse with no bridle or reigns then comes seeing our submitted way and we respectfully get on.  

Sometimes it’s a casual ride seeing and noticing things we had never seen/thought before, sometimes it’s experiencing to new heights, sometimes it’s riding behind a veil of deeper truths and sometimes it’s a ride in total abandonment.

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.”  Zachariah 4:6

IS GOD OUR INFLUENCER? 

Is life only good depending on what day it is, when the sun is shining, your health is good and you have money in your pockets to spend?   OR is life good because you know GOD is with you?  

2 Corinthians 12:10 says “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The Apostle Paul was physically a prisoner because of his faith in Christ Jesus yet prison life and punishment and torture were just “symptoms” or “conditions of this life.  They weren’t who he was for he was a Child of GOD. 

What earthly temporary things do you allow to be influencers over your life focus- stopping you from being all that GOD wants to help you to be?  God wants us to realize the FULLNESS of life in HIM regardless of the circumstances.

What things do you allow to manipulate you?     

I had a friend die of an incurable form of cancer that slowly shut down her body yet while she was here she said, “life was good” not because of her circumstances but because she continually felt the reassuring presence of God despite all the painful difficulties.

We think life is in our circumstances or conditions but is it? 

May GOD help us abide in a trusting confident relationship in HIM that we may sail over crippling and debilitating understandings that make us feel less then how GOD sees us and created us to be.  

Psalm 18:18 says “They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.”

WE are GOD’s children if we have given our life to JESUS CHRIST.  The world loves to label people but as a child of GOD- circumstances, troubles and calamities can have no ownership over us.  Remember where your names are written and are registered. 

“But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven." LUKE 10:20

REVELATION 3:5 ”The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

Our names may mean nothing in this world but they mean something where it matters most.

Liberty in Christ

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

Liberty in Christ
What does that mean?

• Freedom from the Mosaic law which only tells us we are guilty of sin and blinds us to what Christ Jesus has accomplished for us with his life, sacrifice, resurrection, - as our Teacher, Shepherd, Savior, High Priest and Creator.
• Freedom from being dominated over by corrupt desires, which allows our soul to walk in the Spirit/ the will of God.
• Freedom from the restraints and miseries of the earthly frailty.  Our bodies may be dying but our Spirit is being refreshed, assured and matured in the love of our Lord.  We can have joy, peace, love, hope, and faith when outwardly there is no reason why we should have such wonderful things.
• We are Christ minded not worldly-minded. (Note: 1 Corinthians 2:16)
• This liberty has only been given to us as Christians because we have accepted the blood covenant with our Lord Jesus Christ, which paid the penalty for our sins.  This covenant made it possible to have a relationship with God.
• We are not self-assured by good deeds or works or even those we surround ourselves with, for these things can give us a false sense of security.  We are to be assured in our Lord Jesus Christ alone.

To Be Liberated
We can try to do many things to “change” -for what “we “ think is better but unless there is a heart and mind change nothing will change.

We are doomed to repeat the same things over and over again.  Ever hear people say they are going to do something to make their situation or life better but their “idea” of better is pitiful next to God’s plan.  Then you have those who like to TALK but don’t even follow through at all.  Maybe it’s because of fear, maybe it’s not sure how to pursue their objective, maybe it was a temporary desire, maybe the passion was snuffed out, maybe they didn’t seek God’s direction.

Ever give advice “inspired by the Holy Spirit” to someone and it sounds and looks like they were listening but in following up in conversation their situation and mindset is still much the same.

Jesus said, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.  Our sheer “will” power of the flesh is weak, inconsistent, and easily distracted.   It wants to give in to the screams and naggings of the world.  The flesh has a difficult time getting out of mundane themes and feelings of yesterday to a fresh perspective on the here and now.  It is captured in the cocoon and familiarity of the days before.  The dust we have accumulated from yesterday’s life is never brushed off with the renewing assurance (hope) of the Lord.   And since it is transfixed on yesterday and it’s cloud, it finds it difficult to seek God’s face and partnership in the tasks at hand.  If finds it difficult to stand because it never considers who wants to stand with them.  It finds it difficult to see God’s mercies and grace are fresh and anew everyday.

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23

The flesh finds it difficult to be humble and submit to God and not this life.  We forget who is our caretaker at times who makes all things new- including our perspective on day.

“This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Pslam 118:24

“Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.”  Psalm 54:4

Life without God is very lonely and trying and meaningless.

So what does a person need to be liberated?

• One: People need to give their life to the Lord Jesus Christ- EVERYDAY!  Don’t try to give him only parts because one part affects all the other parts.  I know this from experience.  Give him the entire engine- not just parts of the engine. Give him ALL you are able to give.
• Two goes with one: Admit you have been wrong in your thinking and understanding and you need God’s help.  Only a fool admits he/she doesn’t need God.  I need him everyday to keep a sound mind!  (Note Galatians 5:22-23)  Sound mind isn't our way but God's way.
• Three is very important: Submit to His Spirit and not our flesh.  For God changes our heart when we give our life to Him and He makes us want to please Him.   We no longer want to submit to our sinful and weak nature but walk humbly with God. (Micah 6:8)
• Four goes with 1,2 & 3.  Read the Word of God for yourself.  Ask God to guide your reading and study and meditate on the words that seem to pop off the page.  God wants to liberate your life through His Spirit! (Holy Spirit)
• Five: Stop quickly when you feel you are being seduced into horizontal thinking… where it’s just you tackling the things in life and the world and God seems to be absent or at least very distant in your mindset and heart.

God says, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”  Ezekiel 36:26

“A heart of flesh” in this case is not talking about the sinful nature but a heart that is receptive to God and the things of God.  It is a heart of “moral” character, conscience, resolution, and determination.  And God is to be not just the compass of that heart but the strength of that heart.

“I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.” Jeremiah 24:7

“This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5

Have you ever tried to please God by your own “will” power or strength.   It is not just the most frustrating thing a person can go through but you feel like a complete failure as a Christian.

More then a decade ago, I remember being on the phone sharing my predicament to my grandmother.  I had just been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit weeks before.  Life had turned from night to day and I was trying to share this new reality with everyone I knew but as I started listening to the radio ministries and reading my bible I found myself off kilter, I knew I had been swept clean by the Holy Spirit.  I no longer had those resentful feelings I used to have.  I knew I could finally read God’s word to where it now made sense.  I was now enjoying church. I was like a spiritual sponge soaking all I could from the pastor’s sermons.  I even liked that “Christian” music.   I had become a new creature in Christ.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 

BUT when I compared my life to other Christians, I found I didn’t measure up.   I didn’t want to crawl, I wanted to walk and run like everyone else and that is where I inadvertently stepped into a hole.  Ever play out in a green field and step into a hole that was covered by some long blades of grass? What happens?  Well that is what I did.

In my haste to “catch up” (figuratively speaking) “I” was trying to please God with my own "will" power.  That was my first mistake.   Second mistake was not comprehending all the spiritual warfare I was now standing in.  No one told me once I became a Christian I would suddenly be a target on Satan's hit list.  I wondered why if I am a Christian why are these sinful thoughts popping into my head from no-where?   I didn't even give it the remote possibility it was Satan whispering in my ear to sabotage my faith.  I thought it was ALL me.   These thoughts really bothered me until I was thoroughly frustrated.  (Sinful thoughts would had not bothered me before but since my heart had changed, they bothered me now.  After all Jesus says if you even think it, you are guilty of sin.)  Was the thought something I conjured up and hunted down and sequestered OR did I put those "thoughts" into the production line?  I didn't... so what did?

Go tell those "thoughts" to go take a jump off a high high high cliff so when it hits the ground no one can tell what it originally looked like.    That is way the word says "stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil".  But I at the time did not know that.   And do to the confusion and junk thrown at me, and thinking - that  junk was my problem ... and thinking I had to be perfect by my own strength I was now stumbling over mere ideas that came into my mind.







Hebrews 12 calls this life “a race” but I find the only competitor in this race is MYSELF.  I am up against myself, my wandering mind, my feelings, my desires, my wants, my needs, my understandings, my perceptions, my lack knowledge when it comes to the word of God  and so on…  That is why it is important to be in the word of God so you can stay liberated in God.   Satan is the big bully on the sidelines- heckling you and throwing whatever he can in your path to try to stop you.     We "compete" against ourselves in all the different facets of this life.  And this race is “figuratively” more like a three-legged race where Jesus is to be our partner and we are depend on his leading not ours.  We move as he moves.  

"For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." Acts 17:28

Hebrews 12:1-2: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our  faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

He is the author and finisher of our faith- not us. When we try to be the author and finisher of our faith we get all ensnared in life and live in disobedience.  

Let’s go back to the hole I was ensnared in …. And as I flipped through the pages of my bible and listened to my grandmother’s words of encouragement, my eyes directly fell upon this verse.

“….. It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies.” Zechariah 4:6

Tears came from my eyes… all this time I had been trying to be “perfect” by my “own” strength when all I had to do was turn and ask for God’s help.  God is the one to aid us as we live this Christian life.  

I remember this relief came over me.  I spoke the verse's words out loud, my grandmother’s voice smiled on other end of the line. “That’s right!”  She replied.  “God loves us. He doesn’t want us to try living this life without Him.”  This revelation sank within me; God is going to assist me. God is going to help me.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Thank God for THE Shepherd who picks us out of all the different kinds of holes in life.

We are all like sailboats without wind for our sails when we try to go through this life without God’s help.  Yep- all kinds of dangers there.  Pirates, sharks, dehydration, the unpredicted squall- to name a few.  We are just aimlessly walking and groping through the darkness when we go it alone.  Yep- there too! Those left behind Legos, walls that come out of no where, the bed post that seems to find your toe every stink'n time, and the eluding light switch.

SO before we can be liberated we must see some of the symptoms of what we need to be liberated from.  Here are a few.

•      Legalism.
•      Counting your good deeds as a way to find favor with God.
•       Measuring your own goodness against other people's "lack of goodness".
•      You finding yourself closer to fears then to God.
•      Trusting yourself more then God.
•      Hypocrisy, holding to a doubt standard towards others, partiality.  
•      Lies, deceit and deception and slander.
•      Being conceited and prideful.
•      Jealousy, anger, hostility, foul abuse language.
•      Envy, coveting, greedy over what the world considers the “good things” in this life.
•       All the different forms of worldly addiction. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, immoral sex,    hording, gluttony, internet and video game addiction and so on.
•      Impure and/or lustful thoughts.
•      Idolatry.  The worship of things and people instead of God.
•      Not upholding truth, denying the truth.
•      Participation in demonic actives, witchcraft, fortune telling, mediums or spiritualist.
•      Accepting our circumstances in life as a measure of who we are in Christ.
•      Living in your own understanding and perception.
•      Thinking everyone is wrong except you and your own little group.

Quite a few are listed in Galatians 5:19-21. 

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13


“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16

 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:1-4

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8

“Can anything separate us from the love of Christ?  Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death?  It is exactly as the scriptures say, “For you we face death all day long.  We are like sheep on their way to be butchered.”  In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us.  I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love- not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below.  Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:35-39

(God is the everlasting hand of friendship and faithfulness)

“You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side.  Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth. You died, which means that you life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God. Christ gives meaning to your life and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory” Colossians 3:1-4

(Set your heart on what is eternal not temporal.)

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8

In the liberty of Christ we find all things are possible through Christ who strengthens us.

The dark churning skies of "our" world are blown away by a refreshing wind which reveals calm clarity in the mind and heart as we humble ourselves before God.  His quiet compass of our soul keeps us away from the religious Bermuda Triangle.  His anchor for our soul keeps us from becoming estranged from his love.   We sadly see those who only live to serve this world and its always-unsatisfied appetite of meaningless.  We are reminded with His pure light, God gives our life meaning; he satisfies our eternal souls with his eternal constant love.  What more does the soul need but God?

Sin & Liberty Don’t Mix
Some even now think God’s liberty gives them the right to sin and live immoral lives but sin only brings you back under bondage.  It separates you from God.

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”  Galatians 5:13

God has no favorites.  God is not impartial.  God is not a hypocrite.

“But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.”  Colossians 3:25

Liberty & His Return
The good work happens when we trust in him and his liberty.  It won't matter when the day the Lord comes because you will be living and growing in his liberty.  You will be ready!
  
“God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won’t stop before it is complete on the day that day that Christ Jesus returns. I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand how to make the right choices.  Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ Jesus returns.  And until that day, Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God.” Philippians 1:6, 9-11

Wearing Liberty.
“Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.” 1 Samuel chapter 18

According to one of MANY Jewish customs this was one way to show a covenant.  Jonathan is saying to David, “Whatever is mine in yours.”

This covenant also illustrates the covenant we have with Jesus Christ- if we have made him Lord of our life.    Not having a robe of righteousness ourselves, Jesus has given us his robe of righteousness, which not only makes us holy and acceptable in the sight of our Heavenly Father, but it allows us live in God’s righteousness by his Holy Spirit.

Romans 13:14 “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Galatians 3:27  “for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

Ephesians 4:24  “and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Colossians 3:10 “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

Liberty is being clothed from head to foot in what God has given us. Think about the armor of God.

“A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power.   Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.  For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood but the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.  Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.  Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth, and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared.  In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Think about the parable Jesus shares with us about the Story of the Lost Son. (Note Luke 15:11-32

The son has lost his entire inheritance. He has been living the way of the world and being used by the world.   He ends of in the lowest of low jobs - feeding the swine.  Seeing nothing to lose he decides to go and ask if he can be a servant in his father’s house but as he approaches the road to his father’s house a man, who recognized his saunter from the distance, comes running towards him.
As the man got closer, the son realized it was his father.  The father did not have rage or disbelief as he looked at his son standing there in soiled and tattered rags for clothes but one of tears and a smile.  The father embraced and kissed his son as if he had been waiting for this day for a long time.  Ashamed the son said to his father, “Father I have sinned against both you and heaven, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.”
The father wiped his son’s tears of repentance from his face.  It wasn’t long after when some servants approached.  The father said to his servants,  “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen.  We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life.  He was lost, but now he is found…”

The Father of Heaven has given us the best robe that His house can offer - the robe of HIS righteousness - a sign of a loving covenant with you as his child.  He has only offered it to you through Jesus Christ and Him alone.  You are accepted by God because of this covering of righteousness.  You can live in His liberty because of this covering.  Living according to the Holy Spirit not the flesh.  He has placed a ring on your finger - also a sign of a loving covenant with you through Christ.  This ring is also a sign of authority and “restored” relationship and “honored” position- for you are God’s child and you have authority over sin in your life and evil trying to smother your light.   He has given you sandals for your feet- which represent the peace that comes from the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Jesus has saved us.  We were once lost in sin and this world but now we are found.  We have been saved and restored and liberated in Christ.

The devil and sin have no power over us.  Evil has no power over us.  No wonder why the Devil and his evil forces want to destroy us.  Fortunately he can only kill our bodies not our souls and to be absent from the body for a Christian is to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8

THINK ON THIS-
Are you liberated in Christ?  Have you accepted his liberty?  Are you assured in Him alone? ARE YOU A PRISONER SET FREE?  God wants you to be.  Have you been living as the rest of world does and used by the world and found yourself empty?  Come to Him just as the Lost Son did and find how much God loves you.  Come to Him.  He doesn’t want you to live this life without Him.

Jesus may those who read this take to heart your words and apply it to their lives.  In Jesus Name Amen.

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